Oregon Head Coach Dan Lanning Reveals Keys to Beating Ohio State

Anticipation is growing for a top five college football matchup in Week 7. A meeting between Big Ten undefeateds, the No. 3 Oregon Ducks (5-0) will welcome the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes (5-0) to Autzen Stadium on Saturday night.

This will be the first time the two have met in a conference matchup after the Ducks joined the Big Ten in the offseason. The last meeting came in 2021, a 35-28 win by Oregon in Columbus.

Both programs are among the very best in the sport at stocking talent on the recruiting trail. The Buckeyes and head coach Ryan Day signed the No. 5 class in the 2024 cycle, while Lanning's Ducks pulled in the No. 3 class in the nation, per 247Sports.

With a plethora of talent on both sides, Lanning believes that Saturday night's battle will ultimately come down to play on the line of scrimmage.

"I think it’s gonna be about the most physical team," he said on "The Pat McAfee Show." "Who’s the most physical team in the trenches? It’s gonna matter who’s gonna establish the run game. Takeaways always matter in games like this. Critical situations – fourth down, (red zone) – those are gonna be really big in this game."

The Ducks will have their hands full with the Buckeyes' front on both sides of the ball. Ohio State ranks 10th in the nation in rushing offense, averaging 222 yards per game. Quarterback Will Howard has executed well in his first season in Columbus, throwing for 1,248 yards with 12 touchdowns to three interceptions. The Buckeyes also rank first in total defense, allowing just 202 yards per game and an astonishing 3.61 yards per play.

Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel leads an offense that 25th in the nation, averaging 458 yards per game and 6.51 yards per play. Gabriel, also his first season in Eugene, has thrown for a stellar 1,449 yards with 11 touchdowns to three interceptions. The Ducks' defense is not far off from Ohio State's metrics, allowing just 263 yards per game and 4.59 yards per play (10th).

Neither team has face as formidable of an opponent thus far. The Buckeyes have yet to play a ranked opponent, while Oregon's lone ranked game came in a 37-34 win over No. 17 Boise State in Week 2.

It's not often that top three teams meet in the regular season, nonetheless in a conference matchup. ESPN"s "College GameDay" will be on site, adding to the hype around the primetime matchup. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET (NBC). The Buckeyes are considered as narrow 3-point favorites, per ESPN Bet.

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